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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. court — of a king
  7. board — a committee
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. degree — temperature
  11. object — to protest
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. court — of law
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mug — a cup
  17. object — a thing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mug — a face
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. court — for sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com